When does the dwarf crape myrtle "Berry Dazzle" bloom?

5 years ago

I covered it with coarse mesh against the cicadas, which I removed last night. There are no buds. So when will it flower?

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NHBabs z4b-5a NH

5 years ago

Often first year plants won’t bloom on the schedule of what it will do long term if it has been grown somewhere other than its final home. So if it was raised in Florida, it may bloom earlier this year than it would normally in Baltimore. And that is if it blooms at all. Unless it was grown in the fabric pot, it may not bloom this year, or it may bloom this year and not next. It takes a plant time to grow more roots to settle in to a new planting setting before it starts blooming on a regular schedule. If you look around at when other crepe myrtles bloom, it can give you a general idea of its bloom schedule in the long run.

Will you be planting this in the ground? Plants in pots often need to be a bit hardier than those in the ground in the same zone in order to survive, because air temperatures fluctuate more than the ground temperature. That means potted plants tend to have their roots exposed to hotter summer tempertures and colder winter temepratures than in-ground plants in the same area.

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Comments (6)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years ago
Where are you in z7? TX vs Pacific NW vs SE US vs? Location will influence bloom time. Zone only tells us coldest average winter temperatures.

How established is it? Often a new plant or even one in its second season may not bloom because energy is going into growing roots to support the plant.
Esther-B, Zone 7a thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
Esther-B, Zone 7a
Original Author
5 years ago
I'm in suburban Baltimore, 7a. I just got the tree this year. It's in a large fabric grow pot.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
how much sun is there on your balcony ...

i think of heavy flowering plants needing significant direct sunlight ... even if they are somewhat shade tolerant ...

otherwise.. you are left with.. it will bloom when its damn ready to .. lol .. and who knows when that will be ...

ken
Esther-B, Zone 7a thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Esther-B, Zone 7a
Original Author
5 years ago
This variety of dwarf crape myrtle is touted as being good for container growing. I have no choice but to have all my balcony garden in grow pots vis a vis growing in the ground due to the current shortage of houses for sale. I have been waiting for a particular block of small houses to have a suitable one (flat yard!) in good shape to go on sale, but there have been NONE. So I'm stuck in my apartment for the foreseeable future.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years ago
I was not so much intending to tell you it had to be in the ground as much as warning you that it may struggle in a pot in zone 7 winters. Wrapping the root ball in bubble wrap or something similar for particularly cold nights may help. Sometimes folks in New England will give a borderline hardy shrub a protective tent and a string of old fashioned holiday lights since they give off just enough heat to reduce the chill factor.

I hear you about the house hunting. I am house hunting long distance in a city that has a shortage and it is challenging.
Esther-B, Zone 7a thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH